What’s Driving My Consumables Costs? Common Gaps, Quick Fixes and Best Practices

Close up of tape rolls inside machine

Introduction At a Glance It’s nearly impossible to have a clear understanding of your consumables’ costs. However, there are some simple system improvements to make, that can lead to real savings:  Find out if you’re discarding 10-15% of every tape roll, to avoid breakage Don’t just use a thicker glue stream; adjust temperature, timing, and pattern  Check your materials contract and decision-making process to understand your paths for optimization  Track … Read more

What Causes Case Sealer Problems? Common Faults and Their Solutions 

Case in case sealer with alert symbol and targets on common fault areas

At a Glance Case sealer problems are often indicative of greater issues. Here are some of the most common ones, and what their real causes are: Problem Reported Typical Cause(s) Case stalls halfway through sealer → Out-of-tolerance corrugate (for machine or recipe), loose side belts, or low overhead Flaps collide when the case is closed → … Read more

What Drives Case Sealer Maintenance Costs?

INSITE personnel adjusting a component on a case sealer

At a Glance If you’re looking to understand your case sealer’s total cost of ownership (TCO), you can’t skip over maintenance costs. However, quantifying maintenance is not so easily done. The best bet is to keep your eye on these four variables: Total Runtime – The longer your machine runs, the faster it will wear … Read more

How Much Does a Fully Automatic Case Sealer Cost?

Sealed corrugate case discharging from an INSITE case sealer machine

At a Glance Fully automatic case sealer cost runs between $50k and $90k at base price – it’s normal to see a range, because your operational needs can cause price to fluctuate. This cost is also driven by the following factors: Tape vs. Glue Glue naturally increases sealer price, but price alone shouldn’t make your … Read more

How to Stabilize a Pallet? Pattern, Containment, and Cube

Illustration showing one pallet with cases stacked in a column pattern and one pallet with cases stacked in an interlocking pattern.

Introduction At a Glance How do you stabilize a pallet? Three factors contribute to pallet stability: stacking pattern, containment, and load profile or cube. Only one part of overall stability, stretch wrap often gets the blame when things go wrong. But the key is to find the balance between all three factors. Here’s what each … Read more

How Do I Know When to Automate My Packaging Line?

Workers hand-moving boxes with a text overlay of the three areas to evaluate: labor, injuries, and quality

Introduction At a Glance If your workers are stuck on one role, you’re watching repetitive-strain injuries rise, or your quality is taking a hit by hand-packing; you’ve found the signal to start automating. The choice of when to automate is more than a look at purchase price – it’s often based on volume. The Three … Read more

Automatic vs. Semi-Automatic Case Sealers: Which Should I Buy?

Closeup of worker's hands loading a corrugate case onto a machine

Introduction At a Glance A decisive question: “Does a dedicated person close cases for most of a shift?” If yes, a fully automatic sealer is probably the right choice to save labor costs. If no – e.g. the operator only touches the sealer occasionally, or the whole line is hand-pack, hand-load – semi-automatic is likely … Read more